The book offered to the reader is devoted to the presentation of both psychological and philosophical aspects of the yogic path. Revealing the essence of the view of yoga, the author primarily relies on the “Yoga Sutras” of Patanjali, as well as on ideas about the functioning of the mind and consciousness in Shankara’s Advaita Vedanta. The presentation of traditional Indian cosmogony is carried out in the form of commentaries on the Dhyana Mantra of Mahesha (formula for meditation on the manifested deity), Shiva Stotra (hymn to the unmanifested deity) and Brahma Stotra (hymn to Absolute Reality). Of particular interest are those sections of this book in which the author, based on an analysis of the Yoga Sutras, gives a very non-trivial and meaningful interpretation of the nature of samadhi and reveals the essence of the difference between consciousness and mind. It is interesting to note that Buddhist readers here will easily find very deep parallels with Buddhist ideas about the distinction between the moving mind and the nature of the mind. I. Taimni in his work also touches on such important and interesting topics as the principles of the relationship between student and teacher, the relationship between free will and divine plan (providence), four basic states of consciousness, the theory of the three gunas and its comparison with modern scientific ideas, etc. The book is written in simple, clear language and is of interest to a wide range of readers interested in yoga as a method of spiritual development.